Wells reflected on his first year as restaurant critic for the
Times, and summed up his 12 favorite new restaurants that he
reviewed this year.

Surprisingly, Wells said that Mission Chinese Food, a trendy new
Chinese restaurant in New York's Lower East Side, is the best new
restaurant this year. It's a surprising choice because the
restaurant is young and edgy with a party vibe — there's loud
music, a free keg while you wait and a trendy crowd.

Mission Chinese is not the fanciest or highest-rated restaurant,
but Wells said that he thought it was the most exciting
restaurant.

"No other restaurant I reviewed this year left me feeling as
exhilarated each time I got up from the table," Wells wrote. "The
chef, Danny Bowien, seems to have found a secret stash of flavor
that he applies to food that may start out as Chinese but that
leaves the kitchen as pure Mission Chinese."